Ala. appeals court throws out conviction of man tried for killing 4 children thrown off bridge

MOBILE, Ala. – An Alabama appeals court has thrown out the conviction and death sentence of a man tried for killing four children in 2008 by throwing them off a coastal bridge.

The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals ruled Friday the trial of Lam Luong should have been moved outside of Mobile County because "publicity surrounding the murders completely saturated" the community. Al.com reports (http://bit.ly/UruQRD ) judges have sent the murder case back to Mobile County Circuit Court.

Prosecutors say Luong killed the four children — whose ages ranged from 3 years to 4 months — by throwing them off the Dauphin Island bridge one-by-one and into the Mississippi Sound more than 80 feet below.

District Attorney Ashley Rich did not immediately return a call to her office Saturday.